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[quote=Anonymous]Lawyer here, and the people I know who went later in life did very well-- academically and in terms of finding jobs. The added maturity and work ethic helped. Plus, they really wanted to be there, rather than having no other idea what to do with their liberal arts degree (hand raised).

But, some words of caution. The job market in law  is soft, and big law firms are not lining up to hire 50 somethings. You have a goal that sounds worthwhile, but be very wary of law school debt. If you start 200k in the hole, you won't be able to do the type of job you want. I would only do this if I went state school/very minimal debt.  Another option is to kill the LSATs, and go to a lesser school on an academic scholarship. You don't need a Harvard degree to practice disability law.  You don't want your job choices limited by your debt load, and you don't want to be 70 and paying off student loans.

I would intern for a small firm/solo practitioner in your field of choice before you commit. Legal services volunteer is another option. Real life law is not like The Good Wife, so make sure you know what you are getting into this is a tough area of law with a high burnout rate.

Also, be aware that you can be a disability advocate for clients filing for SSI (including kids) without a JD (or any formal training) until the case reaches federal court, which is a small percent of cases. Many good disability advocates practicing before SSA do not have a JD. You might strongly consider going this route. [/quote]

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